The conference would focus on commercial issues and participants and speakers were from other countries and different parts of India. The federation would submit its suggestions to the State and Central Governments to improve cotton yield and double farmer’s income, based on the deliberations Agronomy research was one area that India needed to focus on.

The average yield in Australia was 2,000 kg per hectare and the world average 750 kg per hectare and in India, it was just 550 kg per hectare. The trash level should also come down in India. It was said that cotton logistics was an additional area attracting international players.

In India, most of those in the cotton futures market were consumers of cotton and they wanted to hedge cotton against price volatilities. With better awareness about MCX, more people would get into futures trading, as told.

J. Thulasidharan, president, P. Nataraj, vice-president, and Atul P. Asher, secretary of ICF, told that the programme would have sessions for ginners, spinners, and brokers, apart from two business sessions. The ICF would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with MCX and Mrugank Paranjpe, managing director and chief executive officer of MCX, would give a presentation.

Mr. Thulasidharan said that, “We will be a bridge, a co-ordinator between MCX and those who want to do cotton futures trading.”

The Indian Cotton Federation (ICF) will organise its fourth All India bi-yearly conference on cotton here on August 17 and 18. The event will be held jointly with the Indian Cotton Association - Bathinda.